


Gut Feeling

by thewriter



Category: Demi Lovato (Musician), X Factor (US) RPF
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-08 06:26:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12248814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewriter/pseuds/thewriter
Summary: Demi faces an emotional decision regarding one of her contestants during the X factor auditions





	Gut Feeling

Demi ran her hand through her hair for what seemed like the hundredth time. Her fingers pressed hard on her temples; she felt like her head was going to explode from the pressure both inside and out. Kelly, Simon, and Paulina were all pushing her to make a decision. She had already been through this once with Primrose, and that hadn't ended well, the contestant had been sent home plain and simple.

Demi groaned under her breath. Deciding Primrose's fate had been hard enough, the audience had been yelling, Simon had been pushing for the response he knew was coming, Mario Lopez, the host had been asking for her decision, which he wanted sooner rather than later as he stood there with an arm around Primrose's shoulders.

"Demi," Mario's voice had softened slightly, and Demi knew he could read the stress in every inch of her face, "what's your decision?"

"Primrose," Demi said softly her eyes briefly meeting those of the other girl, but only briefly, "you're going home."

The answer was short and sweet, like ripping off a Band-Aid, Demi thought, the sooner she said it the better.

She didn't look at the rest of the contestants, whether they had made it through (for now) or not, each was just as tense as she was wondering if they would be the next one sent home. Even now she could still hear Primrose begging with her… Begging to let her stay, to let her try again, but Demi had made her decision.

That had been moments before, and now she was in the same predicament watching another one of her contestants sing their heart out in hopes of making it to the final four.  
Standing in front of her now was Ellona Santiago, the girl sang her butt off everyone seemed to agree on that, even Simon who had by far given her the biggest compliment. Demi was happy with the contestants she had put through, the people sitting in the four chairs were solid performers, and they had the vocals to prove it, if she could stop the competition and right then and there she would have.

The fact that she had blatantly disagreed with Simon's comment on Ellona's performance had shocked even him, saying she wasn't quite there yet, but at the moment there was nothing else Demi felt she could say or do.

Demi attempted to explain herself:

"When I look at this panel," Demi began, "I can't imagine letting go of any of them."

The screaming of the audience rose to a fever pitch and Demi swallowed looking from the audience to her contestants and at Kelly and Paulina who were sitting on her right side. Part of her wished everyone would just shut up, and part of her wished someone would tell her what to do, who to pick the person that would be the strongest when put through to the live shows.

This time it was Simon who commented.

"I disagree," he said, "I think this girl is one of the better singers."

Demi could feel the walls closing in, every comment made her decision harder and harder.

"Is she in or is she out?" Mario asked.

In unmistakable chant of "keep her, keep her, keep her" rose from the audience, Demi studied the papers in front of her where she had been furiously scribbling notes for the past hour, she chewed her lip weighing her options, for once she was coming up blank.

Demi couldn't believe the words that fell out of her mouth next, because they were truly the last words she hopes to ever say in the position she was in.

"Oh my God, I don't know what to do, I seriously don't know what do right now."

Then Ellona was pleading with her, as many of Demi's contestants had before.

"I didn't just sing, I performed, I promise I won't let you down."

Demi looked around at the faces, at the faces of the judges, her friends, at the faces of her contestants who were nervously awaiting her verdict, at Ellona's anxious face that looked as tense as Demi felt.

A note of desperation crept into Demi's voice as shot a look at Kelly and Paulina, she knew Simon would be no help. Mario was waiting for her decision, and so were the contestants and the audience.

"Oh my God, what do I do?" Demi heard the desperation in her own voice. The crowd seemed to be all she could hear.

"I know baby." Kelly murmured, her tone sympathetic.

It was only Paulina who didn't seem to be throwing more information at her another suggestion, of which direction she should go.

"What does your gut tell you." She asked.

Mario's voice seemed to be like a monotone in her ears.

"America is waiting, Ellona is waiting, these four girls are waiting," he nodded at Demi's contestants, "what's your decision?" Demi's eyes dropped to her notes, she couldn't look at anybody right now, but she knew she had to make a choice.

The chanting droned in Demi's ears, she just wanted everybody to shut up. Childishly, she covered her ears, it was all she could do to drowned out the noise, both inside and outside her own head. She shook her head trying to clear it at the moment feeling small, inept, and very young.

"Go with the crowd." Simon suggested, but at the moment she wasn't in the mood for any more suggestions, particularly from him.

"I know!" She snapped, she had reached her limit both on stress and patience.

Taking a deep breath Demi looked up and Mario and Ellona, she had made her decision and it was quick and simple.

"Ellona, you're in my final four."

Ellona seemed just as relieved as Demi.

"I won't let you down, I promise, I'll make us win."

From behind her microphone Demi smiled, now came the next hard part telling which of her contestants in the four chairs who was going home, but compared to the decision she had just made it suddenly seemed very easy.


End file.
